NBA Gambling Online: Miami Heat vs Chicago Bulls NBA Lines Preview
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Matchup: Celtics at Bulls NBA Lines
Date/Time: Saturday, January 15, 8 PM ET
Venue: United Center, Chicago, IL
Broadcast: NBA TV
Miami Heat vs. Chicago Bulls Betting Lines
Money Line: OFF
Spread: OFF
Over/Under: OFF
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Miami Heat vs. Chicago Bulls Preview
While the Heat (30-11) are 8-2 in their last 10 games they have lost 2 in a row and they look to stop the bleeding tonight in Chicago taking on a Bulls (26-13) team that is coming off a win and is 7-3 in their last 10 games. At time of writing there is no line for this game.
In their last games the Heat were crushed 130-102 by the Denver Nuggets on Thursday night while the Bulls beat the Indiana Pacers 99-86 last night.
Tonight’s meeting is the first one between these 2 teams this season.
Don’t look for a lot of love tonight for the new Big 3 of LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and Dwayne Wade, who all spurned Chicago in the off-season to play for Miami.
This season the Heat are 20-21 ATS and the Bulls are 22-16-1 ATS. In the last 5 games between these 2 Eastern Conference teams the favorite is 4-1 ATS and the home team is also 4-1 ATS.
The Bulls have the 2nd best home record in the league (17-3) and the Heat have the 2nd best road record (15-7).
The main reason the Heat were crushed in their last game was that LeBron James did not play. He is averaging 25.4 ppg, 7 rpg, and 7.2 assists per game, but he may be more important on the defensive end of the court. He has a sprained ankle, but will try to lace them up tonight.
The Heat’s defense ranks 5th in the league in opponents’ points allowed, but in the blowout loss to Denver they allowed the Nuggets to shoot over 53% from the field and almost 50% from beyond the 3-point arc.
The Heat are trying to avoid their first 3-game losing streak since November and head coach Erik Spoelstra is optimistic recently stating, “I think we’ll respond to these two (losses). The competitive nature will come out. It’ll be a big-game feel in Chicago.”
The Bulls have a 9 game lead in the Central Division and they have won 7 straight at home. Chicago has the league’s 4th ranked defense and in 3 of their last 4 games they have held opponents under 90 points. In their 7 game home winning streak their D has been great holding opponents to only an average of only 82.2 ppg.
The Heat have to key on Carlos Boozer (20.5 ppg) and, especially Derrick Rose (24.3), who is averaging almost 28 ppg in his last 5 games. However, he has played terrible against Miami only averaging 14.9 ppg in his career facing them. If the Heat can keep him from penetrating and make him settle for the outside J they will be in good shape.
The Heat were killed on the boards in the loss to Denver and they cannot let that happen tonight. Chris Bosh (8.3 rpg), James (7 rpg), and Udonis Haslem (8.2 ppg) and they will be facing a Bulls’ squad that ranks 4th in the league in boards per game. Luckily Boozer (10.1 rpg) is the only guy they really have to worry about since leading rebounder Joakim Noah is still out with a thumb injury.
Rose also has to play solid defense tonight and now allow Wade (24.9 ppg) to have a big scoring game.
Boston and Miami have got most of the press this season in the Eastern Conference, but the Bulls have the 3rd best record in the conference and if they win tonight with James on the floor they will show they are a legit contender in the East.
The key tonight is James, as if he can go the Bulls are in trouble. The Heat have lost 3 straight, but this is a much bigger game against a conference rival and they will step up and win this game with their defense.
Betting Trends
Miami is 11-4 ATS in their last 15 road games and 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following an ATS loss and Chicago is 9-3 ATS in their last 12 home game.
The total has not been posted at time of writing, but in the last 5 games between these teams in Chicago the total has gone Under and since each team has a stellar defense the total will go Under tonight.
Pick: Heat and the Under
